Yating Tu

Prevalence of myocardial infarction in patients with psoriasis in central China

Objective  To explore whether the prevalence of myocardial infarction (MI) was higher in psoriatics than in patients without psoriasis, and whether major cardiovascular risk factors were associated with psoriasis in central China.

Clinicopathologic and prognostic significance of SATB1 in cutaneous malignant melanoma

BACKGROUND Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein-1 (SATB1), a new type of gene regulator, has been reported to be expressed in several human cancers and may have malignant potential. However, no data on SATB1 expression and its relationship to tumor progression in cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) has yet been reported. OBJECTIVE We examined the immunohistochemical expression of SATB1 in CMM to determine whether it could serve as a prognostic marker. METHODS A total of 97 samples of primary CMM and controls were immunostained for SATB1. The following clinicopathologic variables were evaluated: age, gender, subtype, SATB1 expression, Breslow thickness, Clark level, presence of ulceration, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and survival. Statistical analyses were performed to assess for associations. Several parameters were analyzed for survival using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional-hazards model. RESULTS Forty cases (85.1%) of CMM showed positive staining for SATB1 by immunohistochemistry. The intensity of SATB1 staining was significantly higher in CMM than in nevus NV and normal skin (NS) (P < 0.01). High SATB1 expression was significantly correlated with Breslow thickness, Clark level, mortality, presence of ulceration, and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01). Moreover, Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that SATB1 overexpression was significantly associated with worse survival (P < 0.01). Further univariate analysis and multivariate regression analysis indicated that SATB1 expression was an independent prognostic marker for CMM (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS The overexpression of SATB1 correlated with metastatic potential of CMM and is a novel independent prognostic marker for predicting outcome.

Inhibiting the growth of malignant melanoma by blocking the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor using an RNA interference approach

Background  Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is overexpressed in malignant melanoma (MM).

Stromal CD10 expression, as well as increased dermal macrophages and decreased Langerhans cells, are associated with malignant transformation of keratinocytes

Background:  It has become evident that resident stromal cells, such as fibroblasts and inflammatory cells, are involved in the metastatic process, including proliferation or migration of malignant neoplasms. We analyzed CD10+ stromal cells, dermal macrophages and Langerhans cells (LCs) in skin tumors.

Activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin signalling pathway in epidermal tumours and its correlation with cyclin-dependent kinase 2.

Background  The enzyme mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) integrates many different cellular signals to control cell growth and proliferation, protein synthesis and breakdown, and other processes. Dysregulation of mTOR is implicated in a range of human diseases, including cancers and cardiovascular disorders. To date, there has been no report on the expression of protein kinase B (AKT)/mTOR cell signalling in epidermal tumours.

Recent advances in targeted nanoparticles drug delivery to melanoma

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive skin cancers, notorious for its high multidrug resistance and low survival rate. Conventional therapies (e.g., dacarbazine, interferon-alpha-2b and interleukin-2) are limited by low response rate and demonstrate no overall survival benefit. Novel targeted therapies (e.g., vemurafenib, dabrafenib and trametinib) have higher initial response rate and clear impact on the overall survival, but relapse usually occurs within 6 to 9 months. Although immunotherapy (e.g., ipilimumab, pembrolizumab and nivolumab) can achieve long-term and durable response, rate of adverse events is extremely high. With the development of nanotechnology, the applications of nanocarriers are widely expected to change the landscape of melanoma therapy for foreseeable future. In this review, we will relate recent advances in the application of multifunctional nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery to melanoma, in melanoma nanotheranostics and combination therapy, and nanopharmaceutical associated melanoma clinical trials, followed by challenges and perspectives. From the clinical editor: The team of authors describes the current treatment regimes of malignant melanoma emphasizing the importance of achieving a better efficacy and the need to develop a better understanding of melanoma tumorigenesis.

An outbreak of 268 cases of Paederus dermatitis in a toy‐building factory in central China

Objective  To evaluate the clinical features of and to identify the pathogen responsible for an outbreak of acute dermatitis in a toy‐building factory in Chibi city, central China.

Targeting Hypoxia-inducible Factor-1α With Tf–PEI–shRNA Complex via Transferrin Receptor–mediated Endocytosis Inhibits Melanoma Growth

Malignant melanoma (MM) is a major public health problem. The development of effective, systemic therapies for MM is highly desired. We showed here that the transferrin receptor (TfR) was a suitable surface marker for targeting of gene therapy in MM and that the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) was an attractive therapeutic molecular target in MM. We observed that inhibition of HIF-1α blocked cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in vitro. We then showed that a transferrin-polyethylenimine-HIF-1α-short-hairpin RNA (Tf-PEI-HIF-1α-shRNA) complex could target MM specifically and efficiently both in vivo and in vitro, exploiting the high expression of the TfR in MM. The systemic delivery of sequence-specific small-interfering RNA (siRNA) against HIF-1α by the Tf- PEI-HIF-1α-shRNA complex dramatically inhibited tumor growth in the A375 MM xenograft model. The underlying concept of transfecting a HIF-1α shRNA expression vector complexed with Tf-PEI to block HIF-1α holds promise as a clinical approach to gene therapy for MM.Malignant melanoma (MM) is a major public health problem. The development of effective, systemic therapies for MM is highly desired. We showed here that the transferrin receptor (TfR) was a suitable surface marker for targeting of gene therapy in MM and that the hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) was an attractive therapeutic molecular target in MM. We observed that inhibition of HIF-1alpha blocked cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis in vitro. We then showed that a transferrin-polyethylenimine-HIF-1alpha-short-hairpin RNA (Tf-PEI-HIF-1alpha-shRNA) complex could target MM specifically and efficiently both in vivo and in vitro, exploiting the high expression of the TfR in MM. The systemic delivery of sequence-specific small-interfering RNA (siRNA) against HIF-1alpha by the Tf- PEI-HIF-1alpha-shRNA complex dramatically inhibited tumor growth in the A375 MM xenograft model. The underlying concept of transfecting a HIF-1alpha shRNA expression vector complexed with Tf-PEI to block HIF-1alpha holds promise as a clinical approach to gene therapy for MM.

Expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and vascular endothelial growth factor in human malignant melanoma and their relation to angiogenesis

Background.  Angiogenesis is the major and key factor for growth and invasion of tumours, including malignant melanoma (MM), but the factors that contribute to tumour angiogenesis are still unclear. 

Increased expression of an epidermal stem cell marker, cytokeratin 19, in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Background  Cytokeratin 19 (CK19) has been considered to be a putative marker for epidermal stem cells in the hair follicle bulge. Cumulative reports have shown that epidermal stem cells play an important role in skin carcinogenesis. However, to date there has been no report on the clinical alteration of the stem cells in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).